Dispensing apparatus



June 6, 1961 w. N. MATSON 2,987,228

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 50, 1959 INVENTOR WILLIAM N. MATSON &M?

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,987,228 DISPENSING APPARATUS William N.Matson, 560 Westminster Hill Road, Fitchburg, Mass. Filed Apr. 30, 1959,Ser. No. 810,025 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-513) This invention provides a newand improved leak-proof dispensing apparatus for barrels and other fluidcontainers in which there are no moving valve parts, all joints arepermanent so that there is no leakage at any point thereof, andcomprising in general a movable filler type pipe, the outlet of whichremains above the fluid level at all times when not in use but which ismovable to a dispensing level against the action of resilient meanswhich always returns the same to a point above the fluid level so thatthe device is completely self-closing, and the pipe thus retracts to aclosed (vertical) position automatically whenever it is released; theconstruction also contemplates the provision for full flow of fluid eventhough the fluid may be relatively thick or contains sediment orparticles in suspension so that it will be seen that the apparatus iscompletely non-clogging, the pipe being always full-open from end-to-endwith no seats or valve members to become clogged; the constructionprovides also a built-in automatic gauging feature simply by bringingthe pipe down to the liquid flow level point.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a dispensingpipe normally held in vertical position and having a connection with thebottom of the container to which it is attached by means of apermanently closed and immovable fixture which can never leak, the samebeing connected to a flexible metal hose or rubber hose which allowsmovement in any direction of the dispensing pipe but which alwaysprovides for return motion of the dispensing pipe to its closed verticalposition.

Furthermore, the present invention provides against fire hazards whichare normally present with leaky valves used in the prior art on oil andgasoline containers of the class contemplated herein.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth inthe appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 isa view in front elevation showing the pipe in solid lines in closedposition and in dotted lines in full open position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG.1 showing the pipe in locked condition;

FIG. 4 is a modified form shown in elevation; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views illustrating a novel arrangement.

In carrying out the invention, the same is shown as applied to an oildrum of general construction such as is indicated at 10. This oil drumis provided with an outlet or a hung at 12 and the elbow illustrated at14 is connected in any way desired as by the fixture at 16 so that thiselbow 14 is completely immovable and solidly connected to the barrelitself so that it can never leak.

This elbow 14 is modified to provide for a brazed joint indicated by thereference numeral 18 for connecting permanently and solidly thereto theaccordion pleated metal end of a pipe, the same being indicated at 20.This pipe is provided with a woven wire mesh covering 22 and is wellknown in the art. However, in the present case, it forms merely the endof the filling pipe generally indicated at 23 which is integral andcontinuous with the accordion pleated part of the pipe which isflexible. Of

2,987,228 Patented June 6, 1961 course the filler pipe itself is notflexible except in the portion where it is accordion pleated.

The filler pipe has a plain open outlet 24 and an elbow or reverse bend26 and it will be seen that the elbow 14 has its outlet pointingdownwardly whereas the bend 26 of the filler piper is pointed upwardly,the flexible portion of this pipe connecting the tube and normally beinggenerally vertical and pointing downward.

There is provided a washer or locking means of any kind indicated at 28on the pipe 23 above the bend 26, and this forms a connection for a coilspring 30 surrounding the flexible portion of the pipe. This spring hasa tension which is suflicient to maintain the filler pipe 23 in itsupwardmost position as shown in full lines in FIG. 1; but at the sametime allows the flexible portion of the pipe to be bent as shown indotted lines in FIG. 1, so that the filler pipe may be brought all theway down to a portion well below the bottom of the barrel for full openposition thereof.

There is no actual on or off valve means independent of pipe 23 whichitself is the valve. Its nozzle 24 being above the barrel when in thevertical closed position, obviously no liquid can flow out. However, bybringing the pipe downwardly, the instant it starts to flow, the levelof the liquid in the barrel is clearly shown.

In some cases it may be desirable to substitute a length of rubber hose36 for the accordion pleated metal material at 20, and in this case itwill of course be necessary to connect the hose as by clamps 38 both tothe elbow 14 and the pipe 23 above the bend 26 at about the point shownby the washer 28 in order to provide for such a construction. Of coursethe spring 30 is also used in this case also but if the rubber hose isheavy enough, in some cases it will be able to bring the pipe back tovertical due to its own inherent resilience.

When the pipe is in its uppermost position as in solid lines in FIG. 1,it may be snapped into and held by a spring clip -32, the same beingmounted by means of central apertures in enlargements 34 on the elbow 14as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Some of the advantages in the use of this device reside in the greatsaving from leakage because the ordinary tap-type of valve will give aconsiderable loss of fluid material over the course of the years. Odorsand wet untidy surroundings are eliminated, and at the same time thisgets rid of a fire hazard occasioned by the drip and leakage from theaverage tap and this in turn of course saves property and human life. Inaddition, the device is easily operated and provides low cost insuranceagainst fire and accident. Particularly with the all-metal constructionand the locking means as a part of the assembly, the entire device is aunit and may be set up or removed easily. It is not a permanent part ofthe container and it may be applied to any container, no matter howlarge it is, so that the invention in this case is not by any meanslimited to a carrying can.

The present construction provides a device which replaces the usualvalve by means of a retractable pipe arrangement which may be connectedto a large container which cannot be tipped although the presentapparatus is useful with smaller containers also.

Furthermore, a full uninterrupted flow is provided by the pipingarrangement herein, with no valves or valve seats to clog or slow theflow down. The construction is completely leak-proof because the outletis always above the fluid level when not in use, and there are no movingparts connected to the container. Any scale in the barrel will not clogand the pouring of liquids which may contain impurities or semi-solid orsolid particles in suspension may be handled. No other valve type willhandle this type of material.

Furthermore, the coil spring prevents damage to the more or lessdelicate flexible member and it will be seen that this spring thereforehas three functions, it retracts the hose, protects it, and preventsflattening or de-forming of the hose. In the absence of the springmaterial, arubber hose, for instance, or even a flexible metal hose,tends to flatten out and either restrict or even stop the flow of fluid,and this is prevented herein by means of the coil spring which maintainsthe circular cross-sectional shape of the hose, regardless of itsposition between the two extremes shown in FIG. 1.

Furthermore, by having the flexible portion of the device depending fromthe barrel, a better flow is assured at all times, and it puts the partsin tension which is a more desirable configuration. Also, by use of theflexible metal hose, other fluids may be dispensed such as acids or oilswhich might prevent the use of rubber tubing.

In some cases, it is preferred to have a closure valve for the spoutparticularly when storing and dispensing volatile fluids. To this endthere is provided a new and improved light-weight valve as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. In this case, the pipe 23 has a spout at 40 which isflared and to this flared end 40 there is brazed or otherwise secured areducer generally indicated at 42. This reducer terminates in acylindrical portion 44 which slidably receives a sleeve 46. This sleeveis provided with a fixed spring seat which is in the form of a flange orthe like 48 and this forms a seat for a spring 50. The shoulder portionat 52 of the reducer 42 acts as the limiting means for the other end ofthe spring, and the ends of the reducer portion 44 and the spring seatform a limiting means to stop travel of the valve inwardly. The valvehas a cap 54 which limits the travel thereof in the other direction. Thesleeve is also provided with a series of holes 56 near the cap 54 at theinner end thereof and the sleeve is open at the outer end at 58.

In the operation of this valve, it will be seen that it is normally heldclosed by the spring 50 in a position where the apertures 56 are closedby the wall of the tubular portion 44 of the reducer 22. However, inorder to open the valve it is merely necessary to grasp the spout as ahandle, put the exposed sleeve end in the container and bear down sothat the spring seat bears on the container. The sleeve then slides intothe reducer, exposing the holes to permit flow of liquid as shown inFIG. 6.

This valve is extremely light-weight and being automatic, prevents theevaporation of volatile fluids besides preventing any possible entranceof dirt or dust into the spout 23.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A valve for a dispensing spout comprising a reducer on said spout,said reducer including a cylindrical open portion, a slidable sleeve insaid cylindrical portion, said sleeve being open at its outer end whichextends outwardly from the reducer and is closed at the inner end withinthe reducerm, there being apertures in the sleeve adjacent the closedend thereof, a flange on said sleeve exteriorly of said reducer, aspring surrounding the reducer and sleeve and hearing at one end on saidflange and at the other end thereof on the reducer, said spring actingto maintain said sleeve in its outwardmost position wherein theapertures are closed by the cylindrical portion of the reducer, and saidflange acting as an abutment so that the sleeve may be relatively movedinwardly against the action of the spring in order to free saidapertures within the reducer to open the valve.

2. The valve of claim 1 including stop means limiting the motion of saidsleeve relative to said reducer in both directions of motion thereof.

3. A non-leaking dispensing apparatus for fluid containers, saidapparatus comprising a tubular fixture immovably connected to saidcontainer adjacent the lower portion thereof and projecting downwardly,a flexible cylindrical hose secured to said fixture and normallyprojecting downwardly, a rigid elongated dispensing pipe having a returnbend adjacent one end, the end of said pipe adjacent said bend beingconnected to said hose with the opposite end of said pipe extendingupwardly to a point adjacent the upper part of said container, said hosebeing sufliciently rigid to normally maintain said pipe in an uprightposition to prevent flow of fluid therethrough, whereby upon movement ofsaid pipe to a downwardly extending position by flexing of said hosefluid will be dispensed therethrough, the rigidity of said hose alsobeing sutficient to prevent collapse thereof during flexure and toautomatically return said pipe to upright non-dispensing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OberlyJune 29, 1943

